Specific poem formats
ALLITERATION
Having one, two or three words close together in a sentence or phrase that all start with the same sound is a pleasurable poetic ploy!
Alliterative words can begin with different letters. In the example below, C and Q (and a few of the Ch words) all start with a “K” sound.
Can you write a poem that is more-than-usually-dense in ALLITERATION?
Image created by ChatGPT on reading The Gollywumpa poem
Nonsense with nonce
Introduction: Nonce words are nonsense words created for a specific situation, often in children’s poetry. In Lewis Carroll’s poem Jabberwocky, he invented the nonce words chortle and galumph, which are now in current use as part of the language. Perhaps the most famous nonce word — runcible — was created by Edward Lear for his poem The Owl and the Pussycat. There is no such thing as a runcible spoon. Lear loved the word so much he wrote about runcible hats, runcible cats and a runcible wall.
Invite students to invent their own nonce words and use them in poems or stories. They could also draw what they think their Gollywumpa looks like.
The Gollywumpa by James Aitchison
Here it comes,
two heads and a nose,
how it got them
nobody knows.
Purple wings
grow out of one ear,
in the other a cabbage,
so how can it hear?
Its favourite song
is Bonglybooboo,
the words of which
it found in the zoo.
It doesn’t have feet,
it runs on three wheels,
and when it gets hungry
it dines on eel meals.
It hates the winter,
does the poor gollywumpa,
so it puts on five hats
and a thicketty jumper.
Beautiful pink and yellow flowers,
Swinging through the wind side to side.
Dreamily being so sweet,
Admiring the daylight.
Amazing flowers,
Sweetly gazing
In the field.
Flower,
Sweet.
Eglantines by Isabelle – Townsville Grammar School, North Shore
Image from Pexels
We get a lot of sand in our shoes,
Marine creatures might come out too!
A time to chill and relax,
And to pick some nice shells.
A key to nature,
A special place.
The ocean.
Seashells,
Sea.
The Beach by Arlo – Townsville Grammar School, North Shore
Image from Pixabay
We listen to the roar of the waves,
As the creatures underneath hide.
So deep that none can reach them.
I see the whales jumping,
In grace and beauty,
And sharks stay low.
Sparkling waves,
Glisten,
Shine.
The Ocean by Charlee – Townsville Grammar School, North Shore
Image from Pixabay
Enjoy World Ocean Day !!
high in the tree-top
kookaburras form a choir
notes falling with leaves
my breath clouds like mist
summer bleeds from the branches
I walk on colour
Image from Pixabay
Australian Children’s Poetry 